Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) is a plant belonging to the genus Panax in the family Araliaceae. It has been used as a herbal medicine in Korea, China and Japan over 2,000 years. Empirically, it has been used to prevent diseases and prolong lifespan.
Ginsenosides, the physiologically active components of ginseng, are uniformly distributed in the areal and underground parts. Depending on the particular parts, e.g. root, leaves and berry (berries), not only the content but also the composition of the ginsenosides are different.
Recently, vascular dysfunction caused by westernized high-fat diet leads to increased onset of various adult diseases. Cardiovascular diseases including heart attack, arteriosclerosis, stroke, etc. account for 30% of all deaths.
Generally used cardiovascular drugs including angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors are mostly expensive synthetic medicine and are problematic in that long-term medication leads to adverse effects.